Stove advice please. Im over whelmed.

[naturegirl]

So there are a ton of stove options out there it seems. Im over welmed. I've been looking at a JETBOIL system. But Im just not sure. What do you use and how do you like it? Thanks in advance!!!

[Storm]

I use a homemade cat food can alcohol stove and haven't had any problems with it. Of course I only boil water. Doesn't work well for simmering.

My hiking buddy uses a MSR reactor and boils water in about half the time but then you have to carry and find canisters which I understand isn't too hard. Guess it depends on what you like.

[MJW155]

What do you plan on doing? If you are going backpacking, just make your own or buy a tiny alky stove. It's light and ideal for backpacking especially if you are just boiling water and adding dry food.

[Mags]

Maybe this will help?

http://www.pmags.com/stove-comparison-real-world-use

There is no best stove, just what is best for you.

If you are doing more than 10 boils (at ~2-3 cups ea. per meal) between resupplies, than a canister stove may be better than alcohol stove That's 5 days of fuel assuming a hot breakfast and a hot meal. Or about the longest resupply you'd normally find on the AT.

If you are doing ~10 boils or less between resupplies, stick to an alchy stove.

The beauty of an alchy stove is that they are nearly free to make and try.

[RITBlake]

Jet boil.
Works every time 100% of the time.

[Papa D]

A Jet-Boil is a water boiler - if all you want to do is boil water and add it to freezer bag meals and make coffee / tea, etc., it might be appropriate. For years, liquid fuel stoves were the "industry standard" and they are still really great in winter time when you might want to boil extra water (for hot water bottles, to melt snow, whatever) - they are versatile, re-fillable, and (some) work on several fuel types. I still use my MSR Whisperlight International quite a bit in winter. Today, more and more people are opting for the convenience of a canister stove but, for general cooking, I would probably NOT suggest a jet-boil. First, you sort of have to look down in the thing to see what your food is doing (deep down) and short spoons won't get it. My go-to canister stove is a MSR Pocket Rocket - I have a little home-made windscreen that I tuck inside my one quart titanium cook-pot with a few other kitchen items - spoon, lighter, sponge, etc. - this is really a great system. The canister draw-back is knowing when it's out of fuel because it is not always obvious. Most people find themselves carrying a spare. When it's used up, a lot of people throw them away. The best thing (I think) is to puncture them and recycle them as scrap metal but they do pose a problem for the "green-minded" (as you should be).

A lot of long distance hikers use alcohol stoves. They are good for the in-season solo backpacking. You can buy one but they are easy to make with a cat food can. You-tube up a video on the "Fancy-Feast Stove" - Mine is actually from an Old El Paso Chillies can. The drawbacks include slower burning time and the fact that once it's going you have to snuff it out. Other great home-made stoves are little wood-burners - usually made from small steel cans - like paint can pints or even coffee cans - the forest provides unlimited fuel and these things can cook like a blow-torch but they require a little tender gathering, a starter (usually some dryer-lint or paraffin soaked cotton balls) and can be a sooty mess. Good users of these units never run out of fuel though which is a big plus and there is no fuel to carry.

There are also a few other little things like esbit stoves that some people love and you occasionally see a "what the f__*^ is that thing" stove. HYOH

If I had to guess percentages for most thru-hikers and long distance hikers it would be like this:

Some weird rig - like sterno fuel - 2%
No Stove -4%
Wood Burner - 5%
Esbit Stove - 9%
Jet-Boil - 10%
Gas Stove Like Wisperlight - (or an old-fashinoned stove like a Svea) - 15%
Alcohol Stove 25%
Canister Like a Pocket Rocket - 30%

allrighty all you stove-heads - what did I leave out?

[malowitz]

Naturegirl - don't know if you're wanting a stove for a short or long hike, but you can just get simple alcohol stove off Ebay (or make your own) and pick up fuel from a Napa or equivalent (yellow bottle of HEAT). That would be cheap and then you can get out there and see what other people are doing and what you might want to spend your money on.

Personally, I thrud in 2010 and sent my stove home quite early and just ate"cold" on the trail. I was using a simple can-based alcohol stove. I just used it for heating water and sometimes cooking a Lipton-type rice meal.

I agree with Papa D about the popularity of alcohol and canister stoves relative to others.

Mike

[Feral Bill]

If there is a good outfitter near you they should have stoves for you to try out there or to rent. It's a very personal decision, and people have a religious fervor for their choices. As an old timer, I am of the SVEA sect. They are very reliable, last for decades, and allow real cooking. Try Ebay for used ones. As much as it pains me to say it, your best stove may be something very different, depending on your menu and other factors.

[Leanthree]

Assuming you want a stove for 1-2 people:
Start with Super Cat Alcohol Stove+ doubled over aluminum foil windscreen, it is the cheapest option and should take you about 5 minutes to gather the supplies and learn to make it and 5 minutes to construct it. Go outside and make a few backpacking type meals when it is a bit windy and see how you feel about it. If it is great then you have your stove. For longer term trips it may be of use to make a more durable windscreen out of aluminum flashing or similar. If you like to simmer you can make a "simmer ring" or add a bit of water to the alcohol.

If you don't like it then get a jet boil.

If you like it way too much then start experimenting away with every possible different alcohol stove until you have an entire crate filled with the buggers.

If you like it plenty but can't stop thinking "if only there were a way to turn this fuel into a solid" then go with esbit

If you want to go backpacking in Wisconsin when it is really F-ing cold out then go with a MSR whisperlite. At the same time though, I would still go with a Super Cat during the warmer months.

Personally, I have a whisperlite that I almost never use and penny-style alcohol stove that I use almost all the time.

[TOMP]

Just get a pocket rocket or similar primus or soto stove. If you buy Jetboil its expensive and you are locked in to using thier pots and pans and other accessories. Jetboil is an overly expensive and largerly uneccessary brand.

[daddytwosticks]

For short hikes try (build) an alky stove or try Esbit. Like has already been said, for longer hikes, try a canister stove. Canister stoves = no fuss.

[Papa D]

It's funny - If you go back to my post, you'll see that the opinions are going to roughly mirror my prediction - - so far we have

1- SVEA (liquid fuel)
1.5 Pocket Rocket
1 - dyed in the wool alcohol
1 - occasional whisperlight
1 - esbit
not too much enthusiasm so far for jet-boil

there is no way for us to tell you what kind of stove to get - it's sort of like what kind of bicycle to get - if you like trail riding it's one thing, road biking, another, if you are a 5 year old or a 90 year old, something entirely different. Ferel Bill's response is best - borrow or rent several stoves and like Leanthree says, go ahead and make an alcohol stove - you can do it in 1/2 hour - learn how to prime and operate a gas stove, fill and cook with the alchy, (um, light the canister stove), use a windscreen, etc. Go out to a picnic area or your backyard or somewhere and cook some stuff you like - - be as complex or as simple as you think you want to be. Enjoy the process but don't be too surprised if after a few weeks on the trail you change to a different stove - lots of folks do.

[Spokes]

You're gonna see all those other thru hikers using their alchy stoves and you'll want one to...... Seen it happen way too many times.

[mountain squid]

Check out antigravitygear for all your kitchen needs.

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[Lone Wolf]

So there are a ton of stove options out there it seems. Im over welmed. I've been looking at a JETBOIL system. But Im just not sure. What do you use and how do you like it? Thanks in advance!!!

fast, cheap, easy to use and reliable
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___87758

[Papa D]

fast, cheap, easy to use and reliable
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___87758

yep - pretty much what i reach for - but there are a ton of other good options - if Nature Girl is still checking in, I'd suggest thinking through a bunch of them first.

[Farr Away]

Getting ready for my first overnight hike, I needed several fairly expensive items all at once. When I started shopping stoves, I found myself where you are - overwhelmed, and not wanting to spend that much money on something I wasn't sure I wanted. I decided to make a cat stove, and wait to figure out the stove purchase later.

Last season, I went from the double-walled cat stove to a supercat, but I still haven't bought a stove. This works for me. YMMV.

-FA

[brotheral]

I agree with Lone Wolf ... Easy to use and reliable. I don't have a Pocket Rocket. I have a Snow Peak Giga Power canister fuel stove which is very similar to the PR. Haven't used it much yet but I know it's reliable from doing alot of research. Weighs very little and the case is about the size of a a cigarette pack. I use a REI .9 litre non-stick titanium pot which the stove and canister fit into. You can use whatever pot you want.... I bought the REI one because it was on sale... Keep it Simple !!!

[Tramp]

www.bottlestoves.com

[Tinker]

So there are a ton of stove options out there it seems. Im over welmed. I've been looking at a JETBOIL system. But Im just not sure. What do you use and how do you like it? Thanks in advance!!!

If you're trying to save weight and have a reliable stove:

If you don't mind fiddling a bit to fine tune your stove performance - go with alcohol or Esbit tabs.

If you hate fiddling and don't mind carrying a few more ounces - get a canister stove (most will do just fine - I've owned a PocketRocket and a Vargo Jet-ti. - they both worked well, with the edge in stability and sturdiness going to the Vargo.

If you want a stove with relatively inexpensive fuel look into a white gas (Coleman fuel, etc.) stove. More weight, a little more fiddling (not so much if you leave the bottle attached as I do with my MSR Whisperlite), but the hottest flame for cold weather cooking.

The Jetboil is very efficient but ties you into having to use their pots or buying an adaptor to use other pots.